The U.S. presidency is a Tudor monarchy plus telephones.

The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all.

I say violence is necessary. It is as American as cherry pie.

Treaties, you see, are like girls and roses: they last while they last.

All the ills of democracy can be cured by more democracy.

Politics, n. A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.

Sic semper tyrannis! The South is avenged.

A real leader is somebody who can help us overcome the limitations of our own individual laziness and selfishness and weakness and fear and get us to do better, harder things than we can get ourselves to do on our own.

The best of all rulers is but a shadowy presence to his subjects.

You should never have your best trousers on when you go out to fight for freedom and truth.

No free man shall be taken or imprisoned or dispossessed or outlawed or exiled, or in any way destroyed, nor will we go upon him, nor will we send against him except by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land.

Why has the government been instituted at all? Because the passions of men will not conform to the dictates of reason and justice without constraint.

Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.